Machine element



Aug. 14, T1923. y 1.194648% W. F. GEHRIG MACHINE ELEMENT Filed y 25,1922 INVENTOR gi /47g Patented Aug. 14, 1923,

WILLIAM GEHRIG, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, =oo.,, 11m, 0F BERKELEY HEIGHTS,NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGNOR TO ESSEX SPECIALTY A CORPORATION OF NEW' JERSEY.

MACHINE ELEMENT.

Application filed May 25, 1922. Serial No. 563,733.

accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in machine elements;and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novelconstruction of universal fulcrum or pivotal support and combinedself-clamping lock for adjustably pivoting and supporting rectilinearrods for various mechanical purposes.

The invention has forits principal object to provide a novelconstruction of universal self-clamping support for adjustably mountinga rod or the like, so that the latter is capable of a four-foldmovement, viz, oscillatory or pivotal movement in a horizontal plane,oscillatory or pivotal movement in a vertical plane, longitudinalmovement in either direction, and rotary movement about its longitudinalaxis in either direction.

Other objects of this'invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of-the ame.-

/Vith the various objects of this invention inview, the same consists,primarily, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the Variousdevices and parts, as well as in the details of the constructionthereof, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed. 7

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation, with a part of the mounting brokenaway to show the means for supportingthe rod; Figure 2 is a plan or topview; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 33 inFigure 2; and Figure 4 is a detail transverse section through the rodand hemispherical clamping members, the latter being in position to beassembled with the former.

S m l r h r e s at reference a e em ployed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates anysuitable base or foundation upon which the support is fixed. Securedupon said base 1, by screws 2, or by any other suitable fastening means,or in any other suitable manner, is a hearing standard, clip or bracket.having a bottom portion 3 resting upon the base 1,-and through which thefastening screws 2 pass. Connected with-said bottom portion 3, at

the sides of the latter and preferably as integral parts thereof, areapair of upwardly extending standard members 4:, which are laterallyspaced apart and opposed one to the other. Said bearing standard, clipor bracket is preferably made of sheet metal, of such qualitie that saidstandard members 4 are possessed of a requisite degree of springiness orresiliency. Normally said standard member i are inclined toward orconverge somewhat toward each other, as indicated by the dotted positionof the same shown in Figure 3, so that when moved apart, they will beplaced under a tension tending to move the same toward each other, andthereby will grip and ex ert pressure upon any element supported betweenthe ame under such conditions. Said standard members t are provided,adjacent to their upper .free ends with circular hearing openings orseats 5'which are transversely alined one with the other. interposedbetween said standard members, so as to be'engaged thereby and seatedmovably relative to said bearing openings or seats 5, is a splitspherical carrier consisting of two, preferably separate, substantiallyhemispherical members 6 and 7 having their rounded outer facesrespectively seated or journaled in the respective bearing openings 'orseats 5 of said standard members. Said hemispherical members 6 and 7 arepreferably hollow (although it is not absolutelyfessential that theyshould be), and

their opposed sides or inner faces are providedfwith indentations ornotches 8 diametrically aligned so as to form seats or guideways tostraddle and engage a straight rod 9 or similar element, which isinterposed between said hemispherical members 6 and 7 so as to besupported thereby in diametrical extension therebetween in such manneras to be capable of a longitudinal adjusting movement and also an axialrotary adjusting movement relative thereto.

It will be noted from an inspect-ion of the drawings, that said carrierrod 9, by reason of the novel mounting of the same, is capa.- ble of asubstantially universal adjustment, whereby the same may be disposed inagreat variety of positions. The adjustable movements thus renderedpossible to the rod 9 are four-fold, viz, oscillatory or pivotalmovement in. a vertical. plane (as indicated by dotted; lines; inFigure 1) oscillatory or pivotalmovement in a horizontal plane (asindicated by dotted lines in Figure 2.) longitudinal movement in eitherdirection; and rotary movement about itslongitudinal axisinieither-direction. Owing to the fact that said resilient orspring-like standards a are placed under tension when the parts areassembled, it follows that the hemispherical members 6 and 7 will bepressed toward each. other, thereby frictionally engaging andgrippingthe rod 9 supported intermediate the same, so that oscillatorymovements, in either: horizontal or vertical planes, which are impartedto said rod 9 will betransmitted to saidhemi'spherical members 6 and 7,which will consequently pivot or fulcrum suchmovements by reason of therotation of the members 6 and 7- inthe bearing openings or seats 5 ofthe standard members i, without danger of disengaging the rod itselffrom its operative assembled relation as dis posed between saidhemispherical members. To move the rod longitudinally, or to rotate the;same on its longitudinal axis, sutlicient force, properly directed, isapplied to the rod to overcome the frictional grip of said hemisphericalmembers, so that the rod will slide or rotate relative to the seats ornotches 8.

While the supporting means for mounting the rod will thus readily admitof a de sired range of four-fold adjusting movements, as described, saidmeans by reason of its character and construction, provides a veryimportant additional function, viz, that the rod 9- will be frictionallygripped and clamped or held stationary in any position to which ithasbeen adjusted, and will thus maintain its adjusted position.

This functioning is due to the fact that the spring-like standardmembers 4: bear frictionally and tensionally' against the hem isphericalmembers 6 and 7', and in turn force the latter-into frictional bindingengagement with the rod 9,and consequently such frictional resistancesthus established,

tend, first to bind or hold the hemispherical members 6 and 7 againstfree rotation relative to the bearing openings or seats 5 of thestandards I, and, second, tend to bind. or hold the rod. 9. against freelongitudinal or rota-tive movement relative to said hemisphericalinembers; such movements being possible only when a proper manipulativeforce sufficient to overcome such resistances is applied.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the various arrangements andcombinations of the devices and parts, as well as in the details of theconstruction of the same, without departing from the scope of itsopposite convex surfaces rotatably journal'ed in said bearing openings,and arod extending diametrically throughsaid' split spherical body so asto be frictionally engaged thereby but movable relative thereto, thetension of said standards upon said split spherical body tending toconstantly thrust the members of the latter into frictional bindingrelation tosaid rod'.

2. In a deviceof the kind described, a pair of opposed standards havingbearingopenings, a pair of hemisphericab members intermediate saidstandards having their convex faces seated respectively in said bearingopenings, said standards being under spring tension tending toconstantly press said hemispherical members together, said hemisphericalmembers having alined diametrically disposed seats at their opposedfaces, and a rod extending between said hemispherical members andfrictionally engaged by the seats thereof.

In testimony that I claim" the invention set forth above I havehereuntoset my hand this 11th day of May, 1922.

WILLIAM F. GEHRIG.

Witnesses:

Gnonen D. Krona-nus, FLORA MILLER,

